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Is this a fake? A good question to ask ourselves before starting any serious path

One of the most common questions that newbies ask on the web is the one about whether Kung Fu (or any other martial art) is a “fake” or is “real” in terms of effectiveness.

Note – This article has been asked by one of our Core Course practitioners on Patreon (see how to attend our home study classes here Learn Kung Fu online: a beginner-to-expert course).

The answer is yes, it could be a fake: if trained in the wrong way (read Is traditional Chinese Kung Fu practical for fighting?), as it happens for any other martial art or combat system:

Krav Maga
Karate
MMA (in its modern meaning)
BJJ
JKD
…

When is Kung Fu (or any other martial art) ineffective in combat?

It is completely useless when:

The training consists (only) of repeating the same movements – Without sparring (dynamic targets, etc.), the practitioner will learn the movements but not how to fight in practical terms (read The meaning of sparring fighting in martial arts)
The training consists only of studying techniques against cooperative partners – The student will learn those techniques for an exhibition (maybe even at high speed) but not how to implement them in a real scenario (read A scheme to quickly learn any kind of technique)
The training does not focus (enough) on physical conditioning – The practitioner will be weak, slow, clumsy, fatigued, easy to surprise, easily tired and damageable (read Physical conditioning: how it works)
The preparation does not focus (enough) on the tactical / mental aspects – No one can elaborate an effective combat strategy in the moment of real need, it is too late (read /// Subscribe (it's free!) or Login to see this content ///)
The methods do not update, customize and expand – No fighting system has reached (and will reach) perfection, the ones that work evolve, one in relation to the other (read 7 principles to become a better fighter)
The path is too commercial – Kung Fu is for special people with a special mindset; those who think it is possible to become a good fighter with 1-4 hours of gentle movements per week are simply fools (read Tips on how to stretch our training times)
…

What makes Kung Fu (or any other martial art) useless in terms of fighting?

Let’s try to focus on a few facts:

Without real training, even the most perfect combat system fails – The major fault is not encouraging serious preparation, the one based on practical application and experimentation (as we said sparring, etc., read Why martial arts do not work: 5 reasons)
A secret that is no longer a secret – most people do not understand it but the art of combat has evolved over the centuries (and not only in relation to the advent of fire weapons), what used to be a well-kept secret, today (in quality martial circles), is within the reach of everyone
If you know it, you avoid it – If we hope to prevail against skilled adversaries in today’s combat methods with old techniques / tricks already studied for generations and generations, then yes, Kung Fu is completely ineffective
Learn from the past but looking forward – If instead, we take the best of the past (concepts, principles, etc.), we make it our own and connect them to what today’s fighting systems are, there is no martial art that can match Kung Fu
Kung Fu is not one, it is an ensemble of thousands of styles – Kung Fu represents such an extension of martial knowledge that it far surpasses any other combat system (it contains throws, ground fighting, striking, joint levers, an incredible number of weapons, etc., read Martial arts: all derive from Kung Fu?)
Many ways, many difficulties – The real problem is to distinguish what is good from what is no longer good (or has never been); no one knows all of Kung Fu, it is composed of hundreds and hundreds of different fighting styles (which sometimes have diametrically opposed approaches)

In light of what has been said so far, the reply to the question “Is Kung Fu real or fake?” becomes very simple: everything depends on the quality of daily training and the mindset of the practitioner.

A note by Master Kongling – The point is that those who see a martial art as a closed and ended book will always be surpassed. Instead, those who learn from the past, test in the present and project for the future will always have an incredible advantage.

How 6 Dragons Kung Fu addresses the challenge of synthesis

6 Dragons Kung Fu is a fluid martial art made of principles before techniques, it tries to respond to the need for synthesis, putting together:

Physical and technical training (read /// Subscribe (it's free!) or Login to see this content ///
Body and mind training (read for example /// Subscribe (it's free!) or Login to see this content ///)
Maximization of the available training time (read Optimizing the available time)
Experiences of various masters and fighting methods (read 6DKF: what does it teach?)
What may coincide and flanking what cannot (eg. rigidity and softness, read 6DKF’s interactions: from the strong blow to the light touch)
…

Final notes

a few conclusive thoughts:

In pure terms of combat, something as old as Kung Fu (used in war, survived the centuries, etc.) cannot be fake but it can be falsified by a poor teacher, a closed-minded one or one unwilling to share things of true value (read Recognize a good / bad master: 5 characteristics and Is your instructor harming your martial growth?)
Excluding the most evident scammers (those who boast of paranormal abilities, etc.), how can a total beginner understand if a specific martial arts course is legit? It is not easy but the first rule is to not trust the first opinion / impression (read why in Is it legit?)
Last but not least, it is important to not confuse a bad course with one that does not match our goals (it is not very smart to pretend to learn things like self-defense, meditation, or combat in schools where they’re, legitimately, not taught)
…

In-depth video courses

Basic 6 Dragons Kung Fu exercises – The core exercises of 6 Dragons Kung Fu workout
Advanced speed and reflexes training – An in-depth explanation about how to gain real combat speed
Self-defense basics: how to – A serious self-defense approach (prevention, negotiation, escaping, engagement)
Worst combat errors to avoid – The mistakes that make you weaker than you could be
Basic free hand fighting techniques – The fundamental combat techniques of 6 Dragons Kung Fu
Advanced combat tactics – How to organize a general combat strategy made of effective subtactics
DIY training tools for martial arts – A step-by-step visual guide toward the construction of our training tools

In-depth articles

Self-defense: why 90% of martial arts does not work – The problem of martial arts and self-defense
MMA vs Tai Chi 10 seconds knock out: an explanation – Why Tai Chi has been so easily beaten

Questions

Reply in the comments and share your experience:

What are your doubts about Kung Fu?

Author: Master Kongling

Founder of 6 Dragons Kung Fu.

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